Lynne Overholt told 12 News her 23-year-old son, Jeffrey Overholt, was only following orders when he was told to pass off canteen items, like candy, from inmates to Ben Sebena, who is accused of killing a Wauwatosa police officer.

Sebena, who sits on the suicide watch at the Milwaukee County Jail, is accused of first-degree intentional homicide after authorities said he gunned down his wife, Wauwatosa police Officer Jennifer Sebena, while she was on duty Christmas Eve.

Officials said Sebena was given special treatment and access to treats like candy from the commissary, which in violation of his custody order.

“It’s just a bad situation, and they need to fix this. He shouldn’t be fired over a piece of candy that they told him to give them,” said Overholt.

Overholt said her son was just six months on the job and was on probation, allowing him to be fired immediately.

Sheriff David Clarke has ordered the lieutenant and three other officers to be fired, but they are waiting to go through a review process.

Overholt said the lieutenant was the one who told the officers to follow her orders when passing off items to Sebena.

“If (my son) goes down, if they fire him for this, everybody involved should also go down, including the lieutenant that did this,” said Overholt.

According to documents, five correction officers violated several rules, including insubordination, fraternization and violation of policy regarding a special needs inmate directive put in place in December.

“He was brand new. He didn’t know that (by) unwrapping a piece of candy told by a lieutenant to give to this inmate, his career is gone,” said Overholt.

A union spokesman for the correction officers said the review board will happen in July.